Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Manicure or pedicure compositions
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-01
2001-03-13
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1615)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Manicure or pedicure compositions
C427S002130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200553
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The fingernail is composed primarily of hard keratin, which is a mixture of proteins hardened by its calcium content and disulfide bonding. An excellent review of the fingernail chemistry appears in the Archives of Dermatology—Vol. 94,November 1966. This article confirms the effect of calcium on nail hardness.
Fluorides have been used extensively to increase the hardness of nails. Teeth have long benefited from the topical application of fluoride typically applied directly from toothpaste. It is generally believed that the effectiveness of fluoride in strengthening teeth, bone or nails results from the formation of insoluble calcium fluoride compounds where the source of the calcium exist naturally in the structure being treated. Nails contain calcium naturally. Busch (the current inventor) discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,551 that the physical strength of nails can be increased by applying fluoride solutions thereto.
It is believed that fluoride treatment of teeth, bone and fingernails is effective because these materials naturally contain the necessary calcium available for combination with fluoride.
The fingernail contains the least amount of natural calcium of the group consisting of bone, teeth and fingernails. While the calcium content of teeth and bone exceed 20% in various forms; the calcium content of fingernails is about 0.1%.
Various calcium treatment products for increasing the calcium content of fingernails in order to strengthen them exist in the current marketplace. Typical products of this type contain calcium compounds dispersed in a nitro cellulose lacquer. No specific claims are made for the calcium compounds and it is generally understood that the strengthening benefit is derived primarily from the lacquer coating.
The cells that make up the nail structure are dead, and it is unlikely that calcium in this form provides a significant benefit to the nail.
None of the calcium products in the current art are known to permanently strengthen the nail. There are no prior art references for increasing the calcium content of the fingernail known to the present inventor.
The present invention is directed toward increasing the amount of calcium in the nail thereby increasing the effectiveness of fluoride as a strengthening agent thereby increasing the strength of the nail.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved process wherein additional inorganic calcium compounds are precipitated within fingernails, thereby increasing fingernail strength.
Another object is to provide a new and improved process for increasing the calcium content of fingernails so that these fingernails can be further strengthened by farther treatment with a suitable fluoride composition.
These and other objects and advantages of this invention will either be explained or will become apparent hereinafter.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, low calcium levels in the nail are increased by applying to the nail, compositions in two phases which are kept separate until application to the nail. One phase contains a calcium compound dissolved in water, glycerin, or an organic solvent and a second phase contains a fluoride compound dissolved in a suitable solvent usually water or anhydrous ethyl alcohol.
The calcium phase is applied to the nail and allowed to penetrate into the nail keratin. The fluoride compound is next applied, causing an insoluble calcium fluoride material to be precipitated within the nail keratin causing a dramatic increase in the strength of the fingernail.
It has been found that calcium levels can be effectively increased in this manner but the calcium must be prevented from the reaction with the fluoride ion until immediately prior to use or applied separately to the nail. A second method may be used whereby the fluoride solution is first applied to the nail followed by application of the calcium solution. When this latter method is used, it may be necessary to reapply a further amount of the fluoride solution to react with any excess calcium ion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The calcium compounds of this invention are soluble salts, which can be applied from a cream or as a simple solution. When solutions of the calcium salts of this invention are used, the solvents are usually but not limited to water, glycerin, alcohol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of the four. Anhydrous ethyl alcohol or water are the preferred solvents employed in this invention.
Particularly useful calcium compounds of this invention are calcium acetylsalicylate, calcium ascorbate, calcium chloride, calcium citrate, calcium cyclamate, calcium gluconate, calcium glycerophosphate, calcium 2-ethylbutanoate, calcium methonate, calcium pantothenate, calcium phenosulfonate, calcium propionate, calcium nitrate, calcium sulfate and calcium hydroxide. Calcium chloride and calcium nitrate are the preferred calcium
The fluorides useful for this invention are those currently used in dental products. Suitable Fluoride compounds include the alkali metal fluorides such as sodium fluoride, lithium fluoride, or potassium fluoride. Also suitable are ammonium fluoride, stannous fluoride, zirconium fluoride, or nickel fluoride. The water soluble alkali metal monofluorophosphates such as sodium, lithium, or potassium monofluorophosphate are useful for this invention.
Particularly useful is ammonium hexafluorophosophate because of its solubility in ethyl alcohol. Ammonium hexafluorophosphate is the preferred fluoride employed in this invention.
The calcium compounds of this invention may be applied to the nail in the form of a cream or as a solution. When a cream is used it would be made accordance with the principles of cosmetic emulsion technology well know in the art. These principals are well explained in standard reference books. A good example is chapter thirty-eight titled EMULSIONS in Harrys' Cosmeticology seventh edition Chemical Publishing Co., Inc. New York, N.Y. 10011.
When a cream is used as a carrier for the calcium ingredient of this invention, the calcium ingredient would be first dissolved in the water phase.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4880660 (1989-11-01), Aasen et al.
patent: 4919920 (1990-04-01), Devos
patent: 5478551 (1995-12-01), Busch
patent: 5525648 (1996-06-01), Aasen et al.
Page Thurman K.
Pulliam Amy E
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